Universally-movable machine part and fluid transfer apparatus utilizing same

Abstract

A universally-movable machine part includes a disc member having a disc shaft and a recessed slot defining a bearing surface conforming to a smooth cylindrically-curved plane. At least one planar vane member defines a lower bearing surface conforming to the smooth cylindrically-curved plane of the disc slot so as to be pivotally slidably mated therewith. A rotor member having a rotor shaft defines a groove which establishes a plane passing through a geometric center point of the device and in which an upper portion of the vane member is accepted so as to be pivotal within the established plane. The rotor member also defines a lower surface upwardly and outwardly divergent relative to the geometric center point of the device to permit the rotor member to be pivotally movable about an axis mutually perpendicular with the axis defined by the disc shaft and the axis about which the vane member pivots so that the rotor member will also be pivotally movable together with the vane member. A ball bearing having a diameter larger than the cross-sectional width of the vane member is also provided so as to establish a spherical bearing surface. Accordingly, the rotor shaft is universally movable relative to the disc shaft. A fluid transfer apparatus such as, for example, a fluid pump, utilizing the universally-movable machine part is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A universally-movable machine part comprising: a disc member including a disc shaft establishing a first rotational axis, said disc member also including means defining a recessed slot having a first bearing surface conforming to a smooth cylindrically-curved plane, said curved plane establishing a first center axis perpendicular to said first rotational axis and intersecting said first rotational axis at a center point;   at least one planar vane member having upper and lower end portions, said lower end portion having a second bearing surface conforming to said smooth cylindrically-curved plane of said first bearing surface and pivotally slidably mated therewith so that said at least one planar vane member is pivotal between right and left lateral positions about said first center axis; and   a rotor member including a rotor shaft which establishes a second rotational axis intersecting said first rotational and said first center axes at said center point, said rotor member also including (i) means defining a groove which establishes a plane passing through said center point and in which said upper portion of said at least one vane member is accepted for permitting said rotor shaft to be pivotally movable within said established plane between forward and rearward positions about a second center axis intersecting said center point and being mutually perpendicular to both said first rotational and said first center axes, (ii) a convex upper spherical surface from which said rotor shaft upwardly extends, and (iii) means defining a lower surface which extends continuously away from said groove means and is as well upwardly and outwardly divergent relative to said center point for permitting said rotor member to be pivotally movable together with said at least one vane member about said first center axis between right and left lateral positions, wherein said disc shaft and said rotor shaft are universally movable relative to one another and wherein rotational movement of one of said disc and rotor shafts in a predetermined rotational direction is responsively transferred to the other of said disc and rotor shafts.   
     
     
       2. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 1 wherein said lower surface defining means defines an inverted conical surface for establishing a limit of pivotal movement of said rotor member between said right and left lateral positions and between said forward and rearward positions by virtue of said inverted conical surface coming into bearing contact with said disc member. 
     
     
       3. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 1 further comprising housing means defining an interior space for housing said disc member, said at least one vane member and said rotor member. 
     
     
       4. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 3 wherein said housing means defines a first opening through which said rotor shaft projects for permitting universal movement of said rotor shaft between said forward, rearward, right lateral and left lateral positions relative said disc shaft and a second opening through which said disc shaft extends. 
     
     
       5. A unverisally-movable machine part as in claim 3 wherein: said housing means includes means defining a concave spherical interior surface bounding said interior space; and   wherein said convex upper spherical surface is in sliding contact with said concave spherical surface of said housing means.   
     
     
       6. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 1 further comprising ball bearing means having its spherical center coincident with said center point for providing a spherical contact surface against which said rotor member bears. 
     
     
       7. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 6 wherein said ball bearing means comprises a spherical bearing element integral to one of said rotor member and said disc member. 
     
     
       8. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 6 wherein said ball bearing means is a spherical bearing element and wherein said rotor member and said disc member together define a pair of opposing spherically-concave surfaces for retaining said bearing element therebetween. 
     
     
       9. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 8 wherein the diameter of said bearing member is greater than the cross-sectional thickness of said at least one vane member. 
     
     
       10. A universally-movable machine part as in claim 6, 8 or 9 wherein said at least one vane member includes means defining an arched surface for permitting said at least one vane member to slidably traverse said spherical contact surface upon pivotal movement thereof about said first center axis. 
     
     
       11. A fluid transfer apparatus comprising: a disc member including a disc shaft establishing a first rotational axis, said disc member including means defining an upper disc surface and a recessed slot having a first bearing surface conforming to a smooth cylindrically-curved plane, said curved plane establishing a first center axis perpendicular to said first rotational axis at a center point;   at least one planar vane member having opposing planar side surfaces and upper and lower end portions and lateral end surfaces, said lower end portion having a second bearing surface conforming to said smooth cylindrically-curved plane of said first bearing surface and pivotally slidably mated therewith so that said at least one planar vane member is pivotal about said first center axis;   a rotor member including a rotor shaft which establishes a second rotational axis intersecting said first rotational and said first center axes at said center point, said rotor member including (i) means defining a groove which establishes a plane passing through the center point and in which said upper portion of said at least one vane member is accepted for permitting said rotor member to be pivotally movable within said established plane relative to said at least one vane member about a second center axis intersecting said center point and being mutually perpendicular to both said first rotational and said first center axes, (ii) a convex upper spherical surface from which said rotor shaft upwardly extends, and (iii) means defining a lower surface which extends continuously away from said groove means and is as well upwardly and outwardly divergent relative to said center point; and   housing means defining an interior housing surface and having means defining first and second openings for introducing and discharging fluid relative to the interior of said housing means in response to the operation of said apparatus, said housing means for housing said disc member, said at least one planar vane member and said rotor member therein, said housing means including means for journally mounting disc and rotor shafts so that said disc and rotor shafts extend outwardly of said housing and to allow for rotational movements about said respective first and second rotational axes and for fixedly angularly orienting said rotor shaft relative said disc shaft, wherein said lower surface, by virtue of said angular orientation, lies in contact with said upper disc surface so as to form a fluid seal extending radially outwardly from said center point to said housing means in the direction of said angular orientation and wherein said lateral end surfaces of said vane members form respective end fluid seals with said interior housing surface,   said opposing side surfaces of said at least one planar vane member establishing together with respective portions of said lower surface, said upper disc surface and said interior housing surface a pair of fluid chambers such that each of said fluid chambers change in volume between said respective end fluid seals and said radially extending fluid seal to thereby effect transfer of fluid between said first and second opening means upon rotation of said disc and rotor shafts.   
     
     
       12. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 11 wherein: said housing means includes means defining a concave spherical portion of said interior housing surface; and   said convex upper spherical surface is in sliding contact with said concave spherical portion.   
     
     
       13. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising ball bearing means having its spherical center coincident with said center point for providing a spherical contact surface against which said rotor member bears. 
     
     
       14. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said ball bearing means is a spherical bearing element and wherein said rotor member and said disc member together defined a pair of opposing spherically-concave surfaces for retaining said bearing element therebetween. 
     
     
       15. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said ball bearing means comprises a spherical bearing element integral to one of said rotor member and said disc member. 
     
     
       16. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said lower surface defining means defines an inverted conical surface to establish said radially extending fluid seal line. 
     
     
       17. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the diameter of said bearing member is greater than the cross-sectional thickness of said at least one vane member. 
     
     
       18. A fluid transfer apparatus as in claim 13, 14, or 17 wherein said at least one vane member includes means defining an arched surface for permitting said at least one vane member to slidably traverse said spherical contact surface upon pivotal movement thereof about said first center axis.